The present invention relates to agglomerated psyllium husk comprising edible acid (e.g., citric acid) uniformly dispersed throughout the agglomerating coating. This modification to agglomerated psyllium husk improves the mixability and dispersibility of the psyllium husk in a liquid. The present invention also relates to processes for manufacturing the agglomerated psyllium husk of the present invention.
Products containing psyllium seed husk are known (e.g., Metamucil.RTM., sold by The Procter & Gamble Company). Such products are useful for the benefit of normalizing bowel function and laxation. In addition, recent research has demonstrated the effectiveness of psyllium seed husk fiber in reducing human serum cholesterol levels and in controlling blood glucose levels in diabetics.
Psyllium seed husk contains natural mucilage. It forms a gelatinous mass on contact with water, and it exhibits poor dispersibility and mixability in water. The psyllium husk particles tend to agglomerate when mixed with water. Hydration takes place over the surface of such agglomerated aggregates to form gel-coated lumps, the interiors of which are still substantially dry. These lumps are extremely difficult to disperse.
One way of reducing these problems while improving the taste of the psyllium product has been to use high percentages of sugar in the drink mix. The dispersibility and mixability are improved, but diabetics and people on reduced calorie diets may have difficulty taking such products in view of the high sugar content.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,263, to Powell et al., issued Mar. 23, 1982, discloses a method of improving the dispersibility of psyllium powder. It is described therein to wet the psyllium particles with an alcoholic solution of at least one of polyethylene glycol and polyvinylpyrrolidone and granulating the thus-coated particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,331, to Rudin, issued Nov. 5, 1985, describes a modified dry dietary fiber product which is said to be readily dispersible in liquids. The dry dietary fiber product (e.g., psyllium) comprises a coating of from 0.05 to 20% of a food grade emulsifier. The processes for making such products are said to comprise blending the dietary fiber product materials with the mixture of a non-toxic solvent in a food grade emulsifier followed by removing the solvent. Examples 5 and 6 illustrate aspartame-containing compositions to be dispersed in water which contain citric acid and coated psyllium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,280, to Colliopoulos et al., issued Jul. 10, 1984, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,806, to Colliopoulos et al., issued Oct. 22, 1985, describe improving mixability and dispersibility of psyllium mucilloid by applying a film of hydrolyzed starch oligosaccharide, a mono- or di-saccharide, a polyglucose, or a polymaltose to the psyllium. Preferred therein is agglomerating the psyllium mucilloid. One suitable polyglucose described therein is polydextrose, said to be "a partially metabolizable, water-soluble polymer prepared by the condensation of a melt which consists of approximately about 89% D-glucose, about 10% sorbitol and about 1% citric acid on a weight basis."
Thus, while there has already been much research devoted to improving the dispersibility of psyllium husk in liquids, there continues to be a need for improved products and processes for obtaining readily dispersible psyllium fiber. It has been surprisingly discovered that uniformly dispersing an edible acid throughout the agglomerating coating applied to psyllium husk improves mixability, dispersibility, and product aesthetics, as well as in some cases storage stability, for psyllium husk products having low (less than about 20%) sugar content.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved agglomerated psyllium husk comprising an agglomerating coating throughout which is uniformly dispersed an edible acid. It is a further object to provide agglomerated psyllium husk having improved mixability and dispersibility in a liquid, especially water. A further object is to provide such agglomerated psyllium husk having good aesthetics and easy preparation as drinks. An object is also to provide low calorie agglomerated psyllium husk, and low calorie psyllium-containing drink mixes, having low (less than about 20%) sugar content. Additionally, an object is to provide agglomerated psyllium-containing products having improved storage stability. Finally, an object is to provide processes for producing agglomerated psyllium husk and psyllium-containing drink mixes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.
All percentages and ratios used herein are by weight unless otherwise specified. Screen mesh sizes used herein are based on U.S. standards.